Ford Lays Off 130 Workers From Ohio Truck Plant

Temporary layoffs are expected to end in the fall, when production of new models begins.

According to several reports, Ford has laid off 130 workers from its Avon Lake, Ohio truck plant. The facility produces the F-650, F-750, and Super Duty pickups, and the cutaway/stripped E-Series van chassis. The plant is slowing production to just one shift to match a decrease in demand. Those workers who have been laid off are expected to return to work in the fall.

During the lay off, affected employees will reportedly receive 75 percent of their usual pay, with no disruption of their health care benefits.

UAW Local 2000 Chairman Tim Rowe toldThe Chronicle the temporary layoff plan was presented to Ford in 2014 as a way of preserving about 900 jobs when the current production lines were moved to the plant. The union seems happy with the way Ford is handling the current situation.

“It gives our senior employees an opportunity to take advantage of that and spend some time with the family. It protects the younger workforce because they wind up filling in for the senior employees who take the layoff,” Rowe said.

Work should return be returning to the plant around October 1. Large fleet orders from companies such as U-Haul are expected to start coming in for the new models.

The layoffs at Ford come as sales are down across the board for most auto manufactures. Other automakers are also scaling back production in an effort to shrink inventory that has been going unsold on dealer lots. While this is a unfortunate hardship for the affected workers, the sales slump and excess inventory have created a buyer's market for consumers.